Looking forward... | Daylily Blog on Doing!!

I am so excited to get started on the first garden at the new house and I am sure by Fall, you will be so tired of hearing about the new gardens at the new house.  The first loads of top soil arrived today!!!

I'm calling it a SuperBed (note the creative capitalization) and I hope to have it finished by the time Fall falls.  It is a SuperBed because it is a huge loose-L-shaped island bed that will hold about 200 daylilies, at least three Cleveland pear trees and boatloads of other perennials.  This bed will also have several 'Black Knight' buddelia bushes (my favorite variety) and I will leave room for a few large container plantings next year. Here it is:

This photo shows about 250 potted daylilies brought from Michigan and on the right and across the top, you can see the stakes for the SuperBed.  Again, its about 11' deep, 35' out on one side and 30' out on the other.  The left side of this bed extends about another 18' off the side of the picture.  It's the biggest, single garden bed I've ever had.  The dump trucks are driving right into the back yard and will dump right into this area today.  HOORAY!  
 

I can't wait to see about 200 of the most delicious daylilies in my collection gathered in one bed, purposefully planted, intentionally chosen.  (That is a big change from my usual way of bed creation - purchase way too many daylilies and then go home and decide what sod to tear up to shoehorn in more plants...)  I pulled out the Dream Garden Binder and have made the first sketches.  The neighbors aren't going to know what to do...but the 15 tons of dirt should tip them off to what is in store.  ;)  Here are three daylilies that will certainly be in the SuperBed.

(H. 'Destined to See', H. 'Madiba Magic', and H. 'Ninja Storm')

Aside from really looking forward to the construction of this new SuperBed (and maybe I will wear a cape while working on it) I'm looking forward to a few other things in my new green space.

1.  Enjoying daylily gardens in the true midwest.  There is a dry, sultry sting in this Illinois summer heat that will certainly be a contrast to my cool, Michigan mornings and brief kiss of summer.  The daylilies will have to adapt and my collection will expand and contract as I learn more about how substance and texture (my two favorite daylily qualities) fair in south/central Illinois.

2.  Starting over.  It is wonderfully terrifying that I get to start from scratch.  I feel so blessed to be given the opportunity to build a garden from the soil up.  Here is a photo of the contrasting soils.  The lighter "dirt" is what I have in the new gardens.  The rich, black stuff came out of a pot I brought from my Michigan gardens.  I have a lot of soil improvement to do...  This digging up and starting over is life changing.  Hopefully I have enough Xanax.

3.  Gardening in private.  We moved FROM the corner of a very busy, urban crossroad.  It was city all the way.  City spelled with a capital 'c'.  In fact, it's SO city that the occasional monarch butterfly or yellow finch sighting causes a ticker tape parade around the garage.  You get my point.  We moved to a spacious lot in a town of just 900.  It feels so good to spread our wings. (and see the wings of other creatures!)  Here is one of the female hummingbirds that has been frequenting the new little feeder...I put these dried willow fronds in some containers planted near the feeder and they rest there as they are surveying the feeder and the other hummingbirds.  My son thinks they look like alien birds and float like spaceships.  I kind of do, too.  Cool.

4.  Gardening in a neighborhood that cares.  Contributing to the overall landscape of an already gorgeous place challenges me to stretch my design and plant choices.  Each house on the court has unique, intentional landscaping that is pleasing.  I'm thrilled to join in on the fun, and not be the only one on the block keeping my yard clear of 6' thistle and feral goldenrod.

Amen.